It is well known that when an individual runs hot water for an extended time, a bathroom becomes filled with water vapor. This vapor condenses on walls, ceilings and mirrors so that a person cannot easily use the mirror for grooming. Also, the vapor accumulated on the ceilings, mirrors and walls leaves stains, thereby giving an undesirable look to the bathroom.
For many individuals, the excessive moisture in the air is a nuisance. However, the problem for individuals with pulmonary or respiratory illnesses such as asthma and emphysema is far more serious. Such individuals frequently have problems breathing and inhaling sufficient oxygen to meet their needs. Such problems are exacerbated during periods of high humidity, particularly during times of bathing.
Therefore, it is often desirable to reduce the humidity in a bathroom and at the same time to allow individuals with pulmonary and respiratory problems to enjoy a leisurely bath without sacrificing their health or putting them in jeopardy.
One common approach for reducing water vapor in bathrooms is to use an exhaust fan. Such fans exhaust the moisture from the room and replace it with dryer air from an adjacent area. However, it is sometimes necessary to replace most of the air and in many cases the replaced air is relatively cold.
One attempt to overcome the problem of replacing warm humid air with cold dry air is disclosed in a U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,694 of Tanenbaum. As disclosed therein a dehumidifier for use in a bathroom utilizes the cold surface of a heat exchanger to condense moisture and the hot surface of the heat exchanger to warm the air after the moisture is removed. The cold surface is provided by having the cold water supplied to the room pass through the cold heat exchanger and the hot surface is provided by having a hot water supply to the room pass through the hot heat exchanger. The heat exchangers may be concentric circles or may be rectangular with a plenum at each end so air moves across the two. A drip pan beneath the cold heat exchanger catches the condensate. Also, an exhaust fan may be mounted concentrically with the recirculation fan in the circular heat exchanger or may be mounted in the output plenum of a rectangular device.
A more recent approach to dehumidifying air in a bathroom is disclosed in a second U.S. patent of Tanenbaum, U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,086. As disclosed therein, a dehumidifier comprises hot and cold water supply pipes interconnected to a shower head in a bathroom. A hot heat exchanger in interconnected to the hot water supply pipe, fan means pulls air from an adjacent room across the hot air exchanger into the bathroom and an exhaust fan removes air from the bathroom. In this disclosure dehumidification is accomplished by the use of a dehumidifier or refrigeration system wherein the evaporator acts as a cold surface on which moisture condenses and the condenser acts as a heat exchanger to re-warm the air before it passes back into the room.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need for and a potential commercial market for an apparatus for removing water vapor from a bathroom in accordance with the present invention. There should be a market for such apparatus because it is particularly suitable for persons with pulmonary and respiratory problems. Further, the apparatus in accordance with the present invention automatically starts to remove the warm humid air from the room when the humidity reaches a pre-selected level and at the same time includes a manual override for reducing the humidity in the room at anytime selected by an individual using the bathroom. Further, it is believed that the apparatus in accordance with the present invention is relatively simple in design, can be manufactured and installed at a competitive price, is reliable and durable and can be readily serviced and turned on and off at the will of an individual irrespective of a level of humidity in the room. For example, if the bathroom is being used by a healthy individual that desires a warm humid environment the individual can easily bypass the automatic action.